Is Church Really Optional? Paul's Letter to the Ephesians Has a Very Clear Answer.
More and more Christians today think of their faith as primarily personal — even private. They believe in Jesus. They read their Bibles. They pray. But church? Surely that is optional — a matter of convenience, personal preference, and individual choice. After all, they are already part of the body of Christ. Isn't that enough?
The apostle Paul, writing to the church in Ephesus, says a firm and resounding no.
In Ephesians: Your Place in God's Plan, Richard Coekin leads readers through ten carefully structured Bible studies in one of the most beautiful and theologically rich letters in the New Testament. Paul's vision of the church in Ephesians is breathtaking: the church of Christ is not an optional extra for individualistic Christians — it is the display of God's wisdom to the universe. It is God's handiwork, made up of people from every conceivable background, living together under the gracious rule of Jesus himself. And to be part of the church is to be hand-selected by God through Christ to make visible the mystery of his electing love.
As Thabiti Anyabwile has said, Ephesians is one of the most beautiful books in the Bible — with a symmetry between rich theology and applied living that can hardly be matched. These ten studies will help readers think carefully about what they believe — and walk it out in the context of the church that God has called them to.
What This Book Covers
Richard Coekin works through the key themes and passages of Ephesians in ten carefully structured Bible studies:
- Every spiritual blessing in Christ — Ephesians 1: The stunning catalogue of blessings that belong to every Christian — chosen, predestined, redeemed, and sealed by the Spirit
- The mystery of God's will — Ephesians 1: God's eternal purpose to bring all things together under Christ — and what it means to be part of that plan
- Made alive in Christ — Ephesians 2: The miracle of new life — from spiritual death to resurrection with Christ — and what it means for how we understand ourselves
- One new humanity — Ephesians 2: How the gospel breaks down every barrier between people — Jew and Gentile, insider and outsider — and creates one new humanity in Christ
- The mystery of the church — Ephesians 3: The breathtaking truth that the church — this diverse, imperfect community — is the display of God's wisdom to the universe
- Walking worthy of the calling — Ephesians 4: What it looks like to live in a manner worthy of the gospel — in unity, maturity, and truth
- Putting off the old, putting on the new — Ephesians 4–5: The practical outworking of new life in Christ — in how we speak, act, relate, and love
- Wisdom in relationships — Ephesians 5–6: Paul's teaching on marriage, family, and work — and how the gospel transforms every relationship
- The armour of God — Ephesians 6: The spiritual warfare every Christian is engaged in — and the full armour God provides for the fight
- Standing firm — Ephesians 6: How to stand firm in the strength of Christ — in prayer, in community, and in confidence in the gospel
What Readers Will Learn
- Why the church is not optional for Christians — and what Paul's breathtaking vision of the church in Ephesians reveals about its true significance
- What it means to have every spiritual blessing in Christ — and how that truth shapes Christian identity, security, and gratitude
- How the gospel creates one new humanity from people of every background — and what that means for how we relate to one another in the church
- Why the church is the display of God's wisdom to the universe — and what an extraordinary privilege it is to be part of it
- What walking worthy of the gospel looks like in practice — in speech, relationships, marriage, work, and the spiritual battle
- How the armour of God equips Christians for the spiritual warfare they are always engaged in — whether they know it or not
- Why Christianity is far more corporate and public than many today assume — and why God's plan for Christian maturity runs through the local church
How to Use This Book
Ephesians: Your Place in God's Plan is structured, theologically rich, and immediately usable:
- Small group Bible study — Ten sessions provide a natural structure for a term of group meetings, with questions designed to generate genuine discussion and practical application
- Individual study — Rich enough for personal Bible study, with questions that prompt genuine reflection on one of Paul's most beautiful and theologically dense letters
- Church membership classes — A natural resource for churches wanting to help members understand the biblical vision of the church and their place within it
- Church groups and adult Bible classes — A reliable, stimulating resource for any church wanting to study Ephesians together with depth, clarity, and practical application
- Personal devotions — A structured companion for anyone wanting to work through Ephesians with greater depth and intentionality
Who Should Read This Book
This book is for you if you are:
- A Christian who has drifted from church or who thinks of church membership as optional — and needs Paul's compelling, counter-cultural vision of the church to challenge and reshape that view
- A small group leader wanting a theologically rich and practically grounded guide to lead your group through one of the New Testament's most beautiful letters
- A church member wanting to understand more deeply why the church matters, what God is doing through it, and what your place within it actually means
- A pastor or church leader looking for a reliable study guide to use with a congregation working through Ephesians
- Anyone who has ever asked: Why does church really matter — and what does it have to do with my faith?
About the Author
Richard Coekin is the Senior Pastor of Dundonald Church in London and the CEO of Co-Mission — a church planting movement across London committed to establishing gospel churches in every part of the city. He is a widely respected Bible teacher and preacher, known for his clarity, theological depth, and genuine passion for the local church. Richard brings to Ephesians: Your Place in God's Plan both a careful scholarly attention to Paul's letter and a church planter's conviction that the local church is not peripheral to the gospel but central to God's eternal purposes.
About the Good Book Guides Series
Ephesians: Your Place in God's Plan is part of the Good Book Guides series — a library of accessible, question-driven Bible study guides designed for use in small groups and individual study. Each guide provides structured questions, clear explanations, and practical application to help readers engage seriously and joyfully with a book or theme of Scripture.
